M.A.Jabbar :
A leading daily reports that above 220 crore people of the world are at the risk of zika virus, Adis type of mosquito bears the virus and is responsible for the risk. Report reveals that during the current year the virus has took extensive turn in some latin American countries including Brazil and spreaded and infected many people of the globe. According to WHO about 3.2 billion people i.e. almost half of the world’s population are now at risk of malaria, a life-threatening disease caused by parasites, most cases occured in sub-Saharan Africa, although in Asia and Latin America, the cases are lower. Young children, pregnant women and non-immune travellers from malaria-free regions are vulnerable to the disease when they become infected. WHO estimate released in December 2015 reveals that there were 214 million cases of malaria in 2015 and the number of deaths were 438000. Therefore, it needs attention and action of all the WHO member-states, health personnel, policy-makers, civil societies, NGOs and in fact every individuals to work together for a malaria-free world.
According to WHO vector-borne disease-malaria caused an estimated 660000 deaths in 2010, most of them were African children and the world’s fastest growing vector-borne disease is dengue with a 30-fold increase in disease incidence over the last 50 years. Dengue has become a major international public health concern in recent years in almost all the counties including Bangladesh. Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever(DHF), a potentially lethal complication was first recognised during 1950 and is today a leading cause of childhood mortality in several Asian countries. WHO currently estimates that there may be 50-100 million dengue infections worldwide every year.
However, the success history is that between 2000 and 2015, incidence of malaria among populations at risk fell by 37 percent globally and malaria mortality rates among popultion at risk decreased by 60 percent. An estimated 6.2 million malaria deaths have been averted globally since 2001.
At this scenario, WHO and member states will observe World Malaria Day on 25 with a theme of the year End Malaria for Good, reflecting the vision of a malaria-free world set out in the Global technical strategy for malaria 2016-2030, the goals of observance of the day are : reducing the rate of new malaria cases and deaths by at least 90 percent, eliminating malaria in at least thrity-five countries and preventing a resurgence of malaria in all countries that are malaria-free. Bangladesh, as a signatory and for the health benefits of the people will observe the day in a befitting manner, like all the previous years.
Dengue, a mosquto-borne viral infection, which causes flu-like illness and occasionally develops into potentially lethal complications called severe dengue. Experts are of the opinion that there is no specific treatment for dengue or severe dengue, but early detection and access to proper medical care lowers fatality rates below one percent. Dengue prevention and control solely depends on effective vector control measures. What experts say about the symptoms of malaria are-fever, headache and vomiting and usually visiable between 10 and 15 days after mosquitoe bites and can be life threatening by disrupting blood supply to the vital organs of the body. At this gloomy picture we must view the burden of the disease which causes illness and death for individuals and families. It causes work absenteeism, reduce productivity and cast negative impact on the economy. It causes school absenteeism, worsens poverty due to heatlh cost and overload health systems of the countries.
Therefore, all out efforts need be invested to avert the situation. Families living in areas where diseases are transmitted by vectors should know how to protect themselves, travellers should know how to protect themseleves from vectors and vector-borne diseases, in countries where vector-borne disease are an emergency threat, health authorities may work with environmental and relevant authorities locally and in neighbouring countries to improve integrate surveillance of vectors and to take measurs to prevent their proliferation. Individual efforts should be there for prevention by wearing cloth that acts as a barrier to exposure to bites, using mechanism to keep vectors out of houses such as screens on doors, windows and eaves, reducing breeding sites near houses or in communities by covering water storage containers, eliminating unusable containers where water accumulates. Although globalization, climate changes and urbanization have great impact on transmission of the diseases but with renewed commitments from ministries, regional and global health initiatives with support of international organizations, non-government organizations, the private sector and the scientific communities and individual efforts and awareness can certainly help to lower the incidence and death rates.
Malaria is an important health issue in Bangladesh. Facts reveal that malaria is highly endemic in 13 districts namely Khagrachari, Banderban, Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati, Chittagong, Sylhet, Sunamgonj, Moulvibazar, Hobiganj, Mymensingh, Sherpur, Netrokona and Kurigram. According to report 98 percent of total malaria cases are reported from these districts and total population at risk is about 10.9 million. Seasonal workers such as Jhum cultivators, forest goers etc are at high risk group due to their overnight stay in open spaces in the forest and hill. Also there are higher than average levels of malari in border areas which may be due to migration to and from endemic areas of neighbouring countries. In order to avert the sitution National Malaria Control Programme has drafted the National Strategy Plan 2015-2020 to achieve the target of malaria elimination zero case and zero death by 2020 in Bangladesh. In order to materialize overall development goals of Bangladesh linking in vision 2021, Bangladesh joined the Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network(APMEN) and to intensify its malaria elimination efforts. ICDDR,B however, played a key role in this respect. The mission of the network is to work jointly with regards to policy measures, advocacy, capacity building and exchange of knowledge to achieve the goal.
World Malaria Day is an opportunity to work together. Alongwith government efforts, health personnel, social workers, civil societies, NGOs and in fact everybody can contribute significantly for a malaria-free safer environment.
(M.A. Jabbar is Executive Secretary of national anti-tobacco organization, ADHUNIK.)
